A Year's Time
by RetroKenobi
Summary: Han Solo awakens to find himself in the remains of Jabba's, now burned down, Palace. He's been frozen in carbonite for the past year. A lot of things can take place in a year's time, and many things have taken place.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:**_ **Yo! This is actually a plot I used for my first Star Wars fanfiction, that has since been deleted and I obviously regret that choice now, but my writing skill has improved in the past year or so since I wrote that, so I thought, why not revisit some old stories?**

* * *

Han Solo opens his eyes, his body slightly shivering as he stumbles up onto his feet. All that surrounds him is burned debris and the remains of a building. It takes Han a moment before things start to come back. The smuggler stands still as memories from the past year flood back into his brain. _Lando betraying him_. _Being frozen in carbonite_. He shakes the thoughts away as he figures out where he is. _Jabba's Palace._

After Han realizes that Jabba's Palace must have burned down and the fire melted the carbonite, freeing him, worry overcomes him. Solo begins to worry about Luke, Leia, and Chewy. There's so many things that could have happened to them in the past year, and Han's mind seems to only focus on the bad. The thought that dominates the others is _what if Vader killed them all._

"No!" Han verbally argues.

After all, his friends are strong. Han holds that fact close for comfort. He really hopes they aren't dead, because if they are, he might as well be back in the carbonite.

* * *

Han has been walking for hours, not sure what he's looking for, and at this point he just wants something to drink. So, when he sees what appears to be the _Falcon_ in the near distance, he starts to believe he's seconds away from a heat stroke and it's merely a hallucination.

"Ya can't touch hallucinations." The smuggler mumbles, smiling, as he's close enough to his beloved ship to reach out and touch it.

Not sure where to begin his search for his friends, Han remains on Tatooine, and flies to Mos Eisley _._ Parking the _Falcon,_ he heads into the Cantina, suspecting he may hear some rumor, so because of this, he chooses a seat in the middle of the establishment.

"What can I get for you?" An alien behind the bar asks.

Han ponders for a moment. "Eh, give me some Jawa Juice."

Solo stopped drinking alcohol after Luke convinced him it wasn't healthy, but hell, he just spent the past year as an ice cube, he deserves this. Besides, the kid doesn't have to know. _He'll never know since he's probably dead._ Han's thoughts make a comeback, giving another reason to consume some alcohol.

Minutes pass, and Han is on his third cup of Jawa Juice, when a nearby conversation catches his attention.

"I'll tell you, he's more frightening than Darth Vader ever was."

"You're telling me, he might even be more terrifying than Emperor Palpatine."

Han turns around, "Uh, 'scuse me, who are you talking about?"

One of the more human looking aliens responds, "The new Emperor… Skywalker."

Han's heart drops straight to his stomach, and the cup in his hand drops along with it straight to the floor. He doesn't bother with the mess, but heads straight outside to the _Falcon._

Solo sits in the pilot seat, just staring, thinking. If Luke is the new Emperor, what's happened to Leia? Is she his right-hand man, er, woman? Is she dead? A few tears find themselves forming in Han's eyes, and he quickly wipes them off, being hit with a bit of determination to get answers. He's going to track down his friend.

Han isn't exactly sure how to find Luke, maybe he should've asked those aliens back in the Cantina. It's too late to go back, though, as he is already in flight and off of Tatooine.

"Guess I'll just fly until I see something that resembles the _Death Star_." Han says, only to be greeted with an eerie echo of his voice throughout the vacant ship.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N:**_ **I honestly hate how I'm portraying Luke at the moment, but bear with it guys.**

* * *

Han's plan to keep flying until he sees something that looks like the _Death Star_ works, as he comes across a space-station that, well, looks like the _Death Star._ He isn't sure if deciding to just fly right on in is a good idea, but the reckless smuggler carries on with the plan despite his gut-feeling.

The Imperials capture Han as soon as he enters the general vicinity of the station. Which, surprisingly, the intimidating troopers and eerie black hallways do not send him into a state of worry. After all, he's still trying to convince himself that this is all a misunderstanding and his old pal isn't an evil, terrifying emperor.

* * *

Luke Skywalker reclines in his throne, literally looking down his nose at passing by troopers. A minute has passed since he told the dumb ball of fur to bring him a refreshment. He grows hopeful when he hears feet shuffling into the room that it's Chewbacca with his drink, but it's not. It's four soldiers surrounding a new prisoner.

"Emperor Skywalker… You aren't going to believe this." One of them say, shaking in their boots with fear as they step to the side.

Luke's blue eyes grow wider than the ocean when he sees Han Solo, his best friend who is supposed to currently be frozen.

"This is impossible." Luke shakes his head. "Soldiers, thank you, I'll take care of the capture from here."

The four troopers nod and exit the room as Luke jumps down from his seat.

Han goes in for a hug, but when Luke stands there, expression flat, the brunet stops.

"Hey, kid." Solo finally greets.

"Hi, Han." Luke responds, his voice monotone.

"So, you run the galaxy now, wow. I'm proud of ya. Where's Leia and Chewy?"

And as the question falls off Han's lips, Chewbacca enters with Luke's drink.

"It doesn't take ten minutes to retrieve a drink from the kitchen, idiot." Skywalker says quietly through gritted teeth as he takes the cup from his slave, which is how Han is seeing the current situation, anyway.

"Hey, why were you so mean to Chewy?"

Luke cuts his eyes back to Solo, no emotion apparent on his face. "Stop talking and follow me."

Han furrows his brow, but does as his younger friend commands. They walk down a hall for a few seconds until another room is entered. Now Han is starting to become nervous as the room has five small jail cells on the right wall, and what appears to be torture equipment taking up the rest of the room's space.

Before Han can comment, he's being shoved into one of the cells and hearing a locking noise. He looks through the, now locked, cell door at the blond standing on the other outside with keys in hand.

"Kid, what…?"

But Luke doesn't respond. He turns on his heel and strides back down the hall, not even phased by the fact he just imprisoned his best friend.

* * *

Han has been sitting on the floor, curled up in the corner for hours, now; thinking once again, and though he'd hate to admit it, there might be some slight crying involved this time. He still isn't sure if Luke is totally evil, but he is sure about one thing: he needs to break out of here and find Leia.

Solo gets up off the ground and tip toes across his cell over to the door, examining the lock.

"Pft, I can pick this in a millisecond." Han mumbles, and he does just what he proclaimed.

Han quietly pushes the bars open, but instead of going down the hall, he goes to the next room. Which may have been a good decision, as there's a huge table with a map sprawled across the top. His heart drops as he reads a circled area.

 _Possible location of Leia Organa._

"Oh, I got to find her before they do." Han glances at the planet name, _Fillithar_. "Oh, great, the place with those creepy snake people."

Shelving his childhood nightmares, Han miraculously makes his way back to the _Falcon_ and off of the space-station. Luke really needs to hire better troopers.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N:**_ **I have no idea what Fillithar and its residents even look like. I just needed a planet name, that wasn't Hoth, Coruscant, etc. So, I went to Wookieepedia for help. This isn't going to be accurate. Also, as comic-relief, enjoy Han being scared over snakes, basically.**

 **And apologies, this chapter is fairly short.**

* * *

After what feels like flying forever, Han finally comes upon the planet that is Fillithar. The hairs on his neck stand up just at the sight of it. He's never actually been here, not even during his smuggling days. No, Han did the best he could to avoid this place, all because of the species that reside on the rock.

The Fillithar share a name with their home, and they haunt a young Solo's dreams. Han had always heard stories and descriptions about them, and that was all he could bear. Sentient, snake-like beings? No way in hell was the smuggler going near those. He is facing his fears today, however, to save the one he loves.

* * *

Han lands the _Falcon_ on the outskirts of the small city-looking area, hoping to avoid any confrontations with the townspeople. Which he thought was a good idea, except the woods are quite creepy. Still, he's going to have to endure, plus the brunet will take creepy woods over snake people any day.

* * *

Solo thought it took forever to get to this planet, but now he thinks it's taking even longer to locate Leia. He isn't even sure where exactly to look. _It would've been smarter to go into the town and ask around,_ circles his mind. Sounds like something Luke would say. The smuggler winces at the thought of his old friend and quickly does whatever possible to change his current thought process.

Han's eyes widen at the sight of a distant yellow-tinted glow. It's obviously a campfire, and without remembering anything about where he's at, Han sprints towards it. Surely it's where Leia is? All logic seems to point to that. After all, she most likely came to this godforsaken planet to hide from her brother, and being smart, set up camp in the middle of the very thick woodlands.

In a cot, next to the campfire, lays a sleeping bag engulfing a sleeping female. Getting closer, Han smiles as he sees it's in fact his beautiful princess. Carefully, he pokes her shoulder to wake her.

"Leia." Han whispers.

No reply.

 _Heavy sleeper, apparently,_ Han thinks as he pokes her once more. "Leia."

Yet again, no reply.

At this point, Han's beginning to feel panic rising inside him. He moves around to where he can actually see her face and his heart drops.

Leia's face is completely pale.

"No, no, no…" Han mutters, voice breaking more and more with each no that exits his mouth.

Solo scoops Organa up in his arms, her lifeless body draping against him as he rocks back and forth, crying now. He hugs her tightly, not wanting to let go, not wanting to believe this is actually happening.


End file.
